Author: lbuth0511de28fc

Life can feel overwhelming at times, whatever our age or stage of life

When that mood strikes, how do we change it?

I remember a time when just keeping up with life’s daily demands had me on overload.

I loved our life on the farm and rearing our four young daughters, and I could see God’s goodness. Still, I often thought there must be a better way to manage all this.

In those “prehistoric” times–before the Internet, scanners, home copiers, etc–I scoured books, newspapers and magazines for articles. I often copied meaningful portions in a spiral notebook I kept handy.

Enter “Dr. Crane Says,” with good advice free for the taking

This column began running in our daily newspaper, with a note that it already appeared in newspapers all over the country. Right away I liked his down-to-earth approach to life. He had a way of taking lengthy principles of mental and emotional health and presenting them in a way we non-professionals could understand and use them.

When Dr. Crane’s “Just for Today” column appeared. I taped it to a cupboard door and for weeks I reread it at least once a day. It seemed to me his practical wisdom laid out a clear track to follow.

Recently I ran across that column so I’m passing it on

This piece now is in the public domain, so here it is, in its original 1921 version. Once again I find several pointers for my life. (I only now learned that Dr. Frank Crane had died in 1928, decades before I read them.)

Nevertheless, his timeless words still speak to me. I hope you also find something useful in them.

————————————————————————————

                                                        JUST FOR TODAY

Here are ten resolutions to make when you awake in the morning.

They are Just for One Day. Think of them not as a life task but as a day’s work.

These things will give you pleasure. Yet they require will power. You don’t need resolutions to do what is easy.

1. Just for Today, I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life-problem at once. I can do some things for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt I had to keep them up for a lifetime.

2. Just for Today, I will be Happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that “most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Happiness is from Within; it is not a matter of Externals.

3. Just for Today, I will Adjust myself to what Is, and not try to Adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come, and fit myself to them.

4. Just for Today, I will take care of my Body. I will exercise it, care for it, and nourish it, and not abuse it nor neglect it; so that it will be a perfect machine for my will.

5. Just for Today, I will try to strengthen my mind, I will study. I will learn something useful, I will not be a mental loafer all day. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

6. Just for Today, I will exercise my Soul. In three ways, to wit:

    (a) I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out. If anybody knows of it, it will not count.

    (b) I will do at least two things I don’t want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise.

    (c) I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt. They may be hurt, but Today I will not show it.

7. Just for Today, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with flattery, criticize not one bit nor find fault with anything, and not try to regulate nor improve anybody.

8. Just for Today, I will have a Programme. I will write down just what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I’ll have it. It will save me from the two pests, Hurry and Indecision.

9. Just for Today, I will have a quiet half hour, all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, some time, I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective to my life.

10. Just for Today, I will be Unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to be Happy, to enjoy what is Beautiful, to love and to believe that those I love love me.

——————————————————————-

His plan still presents a good way to live our lives, doesn’t it? Most refreshing of all, there’s not one word of controversy or fear or politics.

It’s good to remind ourselves this list is like a road map that points toward a desirable destination. We can choose how we use it–or don’t.

Besides, we’re not in this alone. Believers in Jesus Christ know our Best Friend is always with us and strengthens us. Here’s one of my favorite Bible verses that says just that.

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me Philippians 4:13

By now I’ve lived long enough to know that with God’s help, whatever our individual life challenges may be, we can make it through, one day after the other.

May you know that, too,

Lenore

Helps That Can Make Every Day Better

October 27, 2026
Some wise person said each of us wears an invisible sign that reads “Please Love Me”

Isn’t that what we all want? To be loved and valued just because we’re us.

Some of us feel we are no more distinctive than one pine tree in a thick pine forest. Yet anyone who spends time studying an individual evergreen discovers that each tree is unique in some way.

So are you and so am I.

Why do we so easily forget that?

God made us one-of-a-kind for a reason. Our individual temperaments and personalities, our natural talents and abilities, distinctively flavor our family, our church, our school, our workplace, our community.

Perhaps we think what we add is insignificant, but it’s not. Imagine you’re making a pumpkin pie but you have no nutmeg. Your pumpkin pie may look the same and of course, still be edible, But it won’t taste the same.

Transpose that analogy to families, to your church, or to any gathering of old friends or to where you work. When this one or that one isn’t present, something is missing and it’s not quite the same.

You and I may never be able to identify which “spice” we sprinkle into the mix. But if we tell ourselves, “Well, I’m nothing special,” we deny the obvious.

No one else can be you and no one else can be me

No other person can replicate our individual presence or share the gift(s) each of us has within us.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14

Doctors and researchers would agree that the human body is a marvel and each person is unique. Any time we don’t feel “fearfully and wonderfully made” it helps to repeat this truth to ourselves. And if we’re parents or spend time around children, it’s vital to plant this message deep within each one.

Are we perfect? Of course not. We are, after all, only human. A few of us may reach the heights, but more likely, we’ll go on day after day, living our lives. We’ll experience times of joy and have responsibilities all through our days. People will count on us and we’ll want to be there for the people who count on us.

In case you hadn’t noticed, that’s no small thing! To have a spouse or a friend we can count on when we’re going through a tough time is a precious gift.

Just ask anyone who has lived through an experience like that.

Instead of tallying up what we lack, why not keep track of our pluses?

It’s good to pause once in awhile and recall the time(s) we did what was right–or demonstrated strength in a trying situation. Think of it as a way to nurture our inner selves and remember our individual worth.

Here’s a Bible verse that it’s good to keep in mind: Ephesians 2:10:

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

“God’s workmanship.” That’s a remarkable thought, isn’t it?

Everyone has times of feeling we are on the outside looking in, but the Bible stresses we are here for a specific purpose.

Having trouble identifying your particular “good works”?

Here are some clues: Think of the things you “just feel like doing.” Examine the choices you make in what you do every day, or in your work, or what you volunteer for because “it sounds interesting.”

The late Frederick Buechner shed some light on understanding ourselves. Every time I read these simple words over again I find them helpful:

“Thus, when you wake up in the morning, called by God to be a self again, if you want to know who you are, watch your feet. Because where your feet take you, that is who you are.”

Buechner presents an uncomplicated way to evaluate our choices and activities. I don’t mean to imply that we all are in a muddle, just that the clamor of all the “experts” telling us how to live can be confusing.

Think of these words as a way to sort out one’s jumbled thoughts.

It’s okay for you to be you and me to be me

We are different, you and I, yet our Creator knows each of us individually and already knows how we’ll spend our days and how long we will live. When we believe in Jesus as our Savior we are safe, even in worrisome times

He knows who we are, through and through. He enables us to lift up the people in our lives with our smiles and our words.

Every moment of every day, even when we’re troubled, He knows the why. Knows the where and knows the when, so we can live our lives with peace and joy in our hearts.

God’s got it covered. Not to worry.

Lenore

Reasons To Rejoice In Who You Are

October 13, 2026
Suppose someone asked you, “Tell me about you and your life.” How would you answer?

We all have a mental picture of who we are. Maybe we lost track of where it came from but we’re used to it and it feels like fact. This inner picture either lifts us up or drags us down, every moment of every day.

Our thoughts–and our words–can hem us in or set us free.

Does that sound like an exaggeration? Take a listen

Sometime back a popular radio talk show host announced the day’s topic: “Are you a victim?”

His guest that day was a professional counselor. When he opened the phone lines one of the first callers was “Liza,” whose tears kept interrupting her story

“Am I a victim? Absolutely! Six months ago I was beaten up and raped. That attacker ruined my life!”

When asked whether her family or friends offered support, Liza replied they kept trying to reach her and her fiancé still wanted to marry her. “But I don’t want to see any of them!” she sobbed. “I know everyone just feels sorry for me, so I don’t go out. Anywhere. With anyone.

“They tell me I’m depressed, but why wouldn’t I be? My life was good and I had a happy future planned with the man I love. I know now I will never be the same. I can’t ever be the same.

“It changes everything once you become a rape victim.”

“Mindy” called next

She said, “I was raped, too, by a neighbor I thought I could trust. That horror followed years of my stepfather molesting me.

“Like your last caller, I saw myself as a victim. I lashed out at anyone who came near me and kept asking, ‘Why me?’ Night and day I hugged my pain around me and inside, I shivered in misery.

“After a long time I realized I had lost the real me. When I thought of myself as ‘the victim,’ I locked out everything and everybody. I finally decided I didn’t want to live like that anymore, so I searched out a good counselor and worked on building a new life. A better life.

“I want to say to the woman who just called, it’s true you never will forget what happened. But you decide what you will do with this experience.

“It helps to rename what you went through. You can call it a pothole in the road you were on. Everyone has those. Hitting a bump in the road can give you a bad jolt and leave you shaken, but it doesn’t have to stop you in your journey–unless you let it.

“I hope you can hear me. I know your pain, I really do, because I’ve been there. I came to understand that I was choosing to see myself as injured. Damaged. Powerless.

“Forgive me because I know this sounds harsh, but that awful man did not make you a victim. You are doing that all by yourself.”

Could there be meaning in that for you and me?

After listening to those two women, here’s my takeaway:

In every situation, how we think and speak of ourselves not only impacts our lives, but can determine our lives.

Once we plug that into our thinking it can help us deal with whatever comes. Whatever the reason, we all have times we feel unworthy and unlovable.

Some of us loved and counted on a person who let us down in some way. Some of us constantly replay hurtful conversations that haunt us. Some of us got a raw deal from an employer or a co-worker and can’t let go of the injustice. Some of us ache with regrets over the past or current failures or problems we can’t fix.

Whatever is on our personal list, here’s the truth in all of it: All these circumstances are the ordinary stuff of life. For everyone, in every stage of life.

Simply put, life can be hard. How do we live with the day-to-day?

Always, the same truth applies

We get to choose how we label–and view–our lives. And ourselves. Every. Single. Time.

We can stay in the “pity pit” and be stuck with its lousy view. We can vow to trust no one ever again, as a way to protect ourselves. We can put up emotional walls against being wounded, essentially living as loners, even within a marriage.

Or–and I know this may sound too simple–we can decide to leave our heavy load behind, with the One who knows our everything and loves us still:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” … Romans 8:1, John 14:27

Millions of believers around the world know that’s the only way to find real inner peace

When we truly believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior it gives us a new identity: “Child of God, Washed Clean and Set Free by Jesus.”

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

This new identity cancels out our old, harmful labels, whatever they may be. It enables us to let go of what weighs us down and to finally be at peace. With God. With ourselves. And with the people in our lives.

What happened before this minute is history–and we can’t change it. How we think and how we live from this moment on is up to us and how we choose to see our lives.

Lenore

How Do You See Yourself?

September 22, 2026
Those of us who were old enough to understand will never forget hearing the first reports of planes flying into the Twin Towers and watching heart-stopping photos like these.

The horror of it seemed beyond understanding.

Over 3,000 Americans that beautiful September morning never made it home.

Each one had family and friends who loved them, who ached to hear their dear one tell them, "I'm okay."

But when their phones finally rang, that's not what the voice on the other end told them.

Tragedy usually is like that–out of the blue

Life is a risky proposition. Being alive, feeling safe in our situation, is more fragile than we know.

It lasts until . . .

Until tragedy strikes close to home. A teenage son or daughter is killed in an accident. Our parent or spouse is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. A two-year old grandchild is diagnosed with leukemia.

Until something happens that shakes us to our core. Maybe we felt safe in our healthy living habits and patted ourselves on the back for resisting those "dastardly" foods we once loved, pushing ourselves to stay fit.

Then came that symptom. Or that test. That calm, impersonal voice saying, "I'm sorry to tell you, but . . . . "

That's when our inner self screamed, "No! Not me! Not mine!"

Yet it was us. It was our loved one. And no amount of weeping or talking or consulting specialists could make it go away.

At last we understood there was nothing to do but get through it and count on God's strength in Christ to carry us along.

Then like Job, we endlessly replay our situation and cry out to God

I'm no theologian, but one thing I know. Job let it all hang out with God. He expressed his pain and frustration and his not-knowing-ness in stark language.

Job had reason to wail. Not long before he "had it all" and lost everything, including his seven sons and three daughters.

All of them (Job 1.)

Then came Job's health, another casualty. Everyone in his life blamed God, but never once did Job, even in his worst moments, curse God.

That's why God does not punish Job for his honest outpourings of pain.

If you've ever studied the book of Job you know that God finally spoke to Job in chapters 38-41.

Chapter 42 tells "the rest of the story," how God indeed brought Job through his time of suffering and blessed him with more sons and daughters and long life.

God can bring us through our hard times, too

Like every other human being on earth, believers have times of suffering. Christians died on 9/11 and countless Christians suffer and die right now as refugees from persecution. Every one of us knows someone with something.

Pain and disease come not from God's hand, but because we live in a world messed up by sin ever since Genesis.

It's the human condition.

But when tragedy and trials come, one thing we know: God is for us.

If you're living your own "9/11" right now, take heart!

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. –Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.                                                         – Psalm 54:4 (NIV)

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.                                                         –Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

My friend, whether you're in a good place right now or in a pit of pain, here's my prayer for you:

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being . . .                                                         –Ephesians3:16 (NIV)

Lovingly,

Lenore

Finding joy in the midst of . . . whatever

Looking for hope? Read this man's story

Here's a survival strategy for when tragedy strikes

When the bottom drops out of life, how can we go on?

How to stay calm in fearful times

Related articles

What is there in 9/11 that matters to us today?

September 13, 2026
When the Twin Towers went down on 9/11, so did America’s take-it-for-granted sense of security

The horror occurred far away from where most of us lived and every bit of it seemed inconceivable. Yet there it was, playing out on whatever screen we were watching. Reality that ushered in a nation-wide epidemic of fear.

Sometimes the terror hits close to home, in our lives or with people we love. Medical test results we prayed never to see. Marriage or relationship problems, whether our own or those of our children. Family unrest. A job that before always felt secure, but now feels shaky.

How do we cope when life feels uncertain? We may feel a gaping emptiness inside and long for comfort, but think we have nowhere to turn. Loved ones may look to us for direction or maybe, practical help.

Sometimes we, too, feel needy and think: I have nothing left to give.

What then? If we care about these individuals we likely do what people have done since the beginning of time. We give anyway.

Take a long look back

Generations before us endured hardships, disasters and personal catastrophes we can’t even imagine. Somehow they dug deep and found reasons to hope and keep going.

I’m guessing they did it mostly by taking their thoughts off what was lost and focusing on what was left.

Those who believed in God, even though they may have been drenched in fear, could speak hope that came from beyond themselves. Hope that rested in the One who promises to be with us, no matter what, no matter where, and to be our strength, even when we have none left within ourselves.

I don’t know about your family, but from what I know of mine, growing up I heard them talk–and later read in several handwritten letters–of how their faith in God was their lifeline. They believed life could still be good because they trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior,

From that solid foundation they kept on, keepin’ on.

How do we protect our children in this scary world?

We can’t, not really. We can hold their hands so tightly it cuts off their circulation and follow them around like bird dogs, but there’s no way to absolutely ensure they will never hurt, never be disappointed.

We watch over them, of course. We hug them and comfort them and speak the love we feel because nobody ever gets too much love and encouragement. Day after day we speak faith and sound values in ways they understand and can make their own. In all these “small” ways we can help them grow strong from within, equipped to withstand their own future challenges.

Through it all, good times or not-so-good, every day we commit our loved ones to God’s protection, asking Him to watch over them.

How do we model living in faith?

I used to think at some point I would arrive at a more, um, exalted state of being. That I would somehow “graduate” and always be at peace.

Perhaps you’ve wished and prayed for that, too. Let’s face the (humbling) truth: We are human beings. Never-ending announcements of yet another reason to feel uneasy come regularly. That’s the world we live in, yet we need not cringe in fear.

I’ve learned that speaking positive affirmations to myself is a waste of time. What helps me most when the “What ifs” and “If onlys” strike, is to repeat in my mind–or aloud, to myself–Bible verses like these:

God is my refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the sea. Psalm 46:1

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:9-10

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Living in the world

You and I can’t stop the evil in the world–and yes, there is evil in the world. It didn’t stop with 9/11–and it won’t. Evil will always keep trying, but in Jesus, the battle is already won. (See John 3:16.)

Our best strategy for survival and for enduring whatever comes is to stay planted in the Lord and keep filling our minds with truths from God’s written Word. Then, when and if people we love turn to us, we have something worthwhile to pass on, such as this verse:

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Whatever the disaster, little or large, when we believe in Jesus Christ we find the strength and stability to get through it and also to speak peace and hope to those around us. All we need to do is ask.

Trusting, always,

Lenore

Find Strength to Cope With Life’s Unthinkables

September 10, 2026
Have you ever known someone who constantly takes a reading on their state of happiness?

I have, and they never seem to be at peace. Their self-examination goes on 24/7:

How am I feeling about life today?

Am I as happy as I could be? If not, why not?

Something must be wrong, or I would feel like smiling all the time.

Maybe I’m depressed. Maybe I need to see someone with some answers or get on some meds.

All I ever wanted out of life was to be really happy. Is that too much to ask?

Some years back a University of Denver study reached what seems an implausible conclusion: The more a person wants to be happy the more likely it is that this individual will be unhappy.

How do you think those with the highest desire to be happy and the least amount of stress in their lives almost always rated themselves?

Here’s the real shocker: These individuals considered themselves to be less happy than other study participants.

That doesn’t sound right, does it?

These researchers finally concluded that people who deal every day with lots of stress and difficulty do not expect to be happy all time. Therefore, they’re not surprised when they aren’t.

Once all the findings of that study were analyzed only one conclusion could be reached: Those who cared for others and did more for others rated themselves higher on the happiness scale than those who didn’t.

Probably it comes down to simple logic. Individuals who live with personal challenges often feel it takes every ounce of the physical and emotional grit they possess just to get through each day.

They have no time or energy left to delve into the question, Am I happy today?

I suspect you and I are not so different from those who participated in that study

When things are going well and we’re feeling more relaxed we have time to wonder how we look and why that neighbor isn’t nicer and why we can’t communicate better with our spouse or our teenager.

Often that’s when we find leeway in our schedules to focus on our own flaws–and everyone else’s deficiencies, too. Whether real or imagined, such thoughts are like gnats at a picnic. They keep us agitated and blind to the bounty and the blessings in our lives.

That’s when we may begin to wonder if we’re “really happy”.

Some thoughts from a marriage and family counselor in private practice

I once attended a workshop where a veteran professional counselor remarked that with new clients, there seemed to be an urgency to announce early in their first appointment that they are depressed.

When she asks how they know that’s true, they answer with something like this: “Because I want to be happy more than anything else–and I should be, because there’s nothing really wrong with my life.

“But some days I just feel blah. I don’t feel happy inside, so that must mean something is wrong. I must be depressed, so I know I need counseling and I probably need medication, too.”

This counselor said when clients come in with that mindset, they sometimes find it hard to believe that nobody lives a life that’s 100 percent happy, 365 days a year. Once they come to understand the truth of that it’s like turning on the light in a dark room. Their faces light up and they can smile.

Fact: True depression is serious. It can be debilitating and hard to treat and there are many variations.

This counselor’s comments point to an important truth for parents

For every human being of any age, some days are good, some not so much. That’s life.

This means we do our children no favors when we frequently ask, “Are you feeling happy?” Or when we tell them they should be happy.

This may sound a bit radical, but I believe it’s good for children and teens to experience some everyday failures and disappointments during their growing-up years. Of course, it’s good and right for parents to be loving and supportive, but let’s not suppose we can shield our kids from everything. As they deal with what comes, they become more resilient.

They learn to cope and work out solutions. This helps youngsters and teens feel confident about their own strenghs.

Give your kids a lifetime gift

That’s what it is when parents help their children learn to take each day for what it is. Teach them to search out the good in every day, even when they think they had a “bad day”. That’s how they grow more resilient, able to remain calm, whatever comes.

The writer of Ecclesiastes capsulized that very truth in Ecclesiastes 7:14:

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.

This we know, whatever the situation:

Whatever comes into our lives, God is with us in the midst of it and we never walk alone–unless we insist upon it. He tells us so, over and over, in His written word, The Holy Bible. Here are two verses that tell us that plainly:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

So do not fear, for I am with you. do not be dismayed, for I am your God. Isaiah 41:10

Great thinkers echo similar principles. Long ago, plain-speaking Abraham Lincoln spoke about how we humans evaluate our state of mind and no one has said it better:

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

The bottom line question to ask ourselves every day, whatever our age or life situation, is this: What will I choose to think?

Learning, always,

Lenore
Could Tracking Your Happiness Levels Make You Unhappy?

August 22, 2026
You may be thinking that sounds great but you’ve never held an important job or been celebrated for anything

That doesn’t matter a bit. Meet my long-ago friend Alice. This tiny, smiling woman–barely 5 feet tall and walking with a cane–saw herself as “nothing special.”

Yet when Alice died, six employees from the local Post Office attended her memorial–in uniform. One stood up to tell how much they all would miss their friend.

“What we get mostly is people complaining about this or that. But when sweet Alice breezed in, we all smiled. She always gave us a lift, just by being her. What’s more, every week or two she brought us a heaping platter of her delicious homemade cookies.

“I asked her once why she did it and she said, ‘Well, I love to bake up my old recipes and I end up with a lot. So I just share the extras. Besides, you people bring me my mail every day, in every kind of weather. This is just me saying, Thanks and God bless you, all of you!’

“She always called out a jaunty Hello to the people working behind the counter, too. I tell you, Alice brought sunshine in with her and every one of us will miss her!”

He blotted his eyes all the way back to his seat.

The small-town newspaper editor spoke next and told how he loved reading Alice’s thoughtful letters. “She always made me think. I am a better editor because I always knew Alice was reading what I wrote.”

After him came the high school principal, “I keep an open file folder labeled ‘Alice’ just to hang on to her notes of encouragement to our teachers and to me. She had no special reason, usually. That was just Alice.”

Next came her neighbor, sniffling and wiping her eyes. “Alice shared everything. Hugs of encouragement. Roses from her backyard. Half a meat loaf. Homemade pie sometimes and of course, her famous chocolate walnut cookies”

Then a young man told how Alice always seemed to sense when he needed to talk.”I don’t remember how we became friends, but she always made time to listen. Sometimes the only thing that kept me in school was knowing Alice was praying for me.

“I guess that’s why the first person I told when I knew I passed my finals was Alice.”

Your life matters more than you can guess

I knew Alice and I promise you she would not have taken cookies to her local Post Office just so some employee would come to her memorial and speak well of her.

Alice was just being Alice and living out what she read and studied in the Bible. She often told our small Bible study group how thankful she was for life.

She counted blessings, big and “small,” as in, “God has blessed me so bountifully! I thank him every day that I can still walk around and my eyes still let me see the beauty in this world God created.”

Alice reminded us nearly every week to lift up people around us. “God created every human being to be one-of-a-kind, so let’s be encouragers. Nobody has an easy life.”

Then she would say, “Every small kindness leaves its mark.”

None of us are “ordinary”

We may suppose we live insignificant lives. Not so!

For instance, if you’re a mom or dad, as you every day interact with your children, you influence how they look at life.

They will see the world through your eyes long before they form an opinion of their own. You write the script for how they think of God, how they view authority and for how they love–or don’t know how to love.

By the way, we parents do not lose our influence just because our children have reached adulthood. Yes, our grown children live their own lives, but most times, they (perhaps secretly) care what we think.

More importantly, they still watch to see whether we live out what we tell them is important.

Whether they see us as friend or critic is up to us, more than to them.

Each of us is like a stone tossed into a lake

Every one of us leaves ripples that travel far beyond ourselves.

Never discount your importance in the lives of the people around you. You matter in ways you may never know. Just as water can wear away stone, so our small deeds, over and over, carry a lasting effect.

If we tuck that point-of-view in the back of our minds we’ll become more aware. More alert for ways we can touch and encourage others along the way.

Alice would say, “Keep your eyes on Jesus. He’s the One who keeps us going and shows us how to live here in our little corner of the world. If we just follow Him we’ll know what to do.”

Here are a couple of Bible verses Alice often repeated–and lived out every day of her life.

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

If you and I also make this our way to live, I can’t promise employees from our local Post Offices will attend our memorials, but I am absolutely certain we will bless the people in our lives, in our neighborhood and who knows? Maybe even the world!

May you have JOY in your day-to-day!

Lenore

You Can Be a World-Changer

August 6, 2026
Have you noticed how someone’s casual remark sometimes switches your mind into a new–and better–way of thinking?

It happened to me when I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen for months. After exchanging the usual pleasantries I asked, “How are things going for you lately?”

She lit up with a big smile and said, “Lately my life has been really, really good.”

“Great! Has something changed?”

“Nope. At long last I figured out what makes the difference between being happy and being frustrated. It’s so simple I’m embarrassed to say it, but all I did was lower my expectations. Somehow that made a huge difference in my outlook.”

That brief conversation replayed in my mind all week, probably because, well, I needed to hear it.

Lower my expectations. Could it be that simple?

Ever had a conversation like this at your house?

Me: “Well, I thought you would _____.” My husband: Sorry, but how was I to know what you expected? I think you’re disappointed because I didn’t live up to your expectations.”

He was right, of course. (Sigh.)

It took awhile but I finally admitted to myself that too often I thought I knew how things “should” go. With my husband, our neighbors, our children, even with myself.

The starting place

The more I thought about what my husband said and that conversation with my friend, the more I could understood how her new attitude could change life for the better. Could it really be that clear-cut?

Expect less and rejoice over what IS, rather than stress over what isn’t.

I heard myself thinking, Well, any fool should be able to do that.

Exactly. That’s the point.

Plotting it out

I’m not a psychiatrist or a counselor, but many years of living and studying and observing people taught me a lot. Now I realized I had been wearing blinders, so to speak. I really did want to change so as always, I asked God to open my understanding.

Obviously, I had to lay aside my old comfortable habits. Then I needed to adjust my thinking and reacting. Baby-step by baby-step seemed the way to go, so it took awhile, with lots of slips and starts. Gradually this new way of thinking felt more comfortable.

I found what worked for me was to think small and aim for manageable changes in the beginning. Once that attitude change felt natural I could move on to the next step.

Trust me, I also learned it’s hard to change old habits and that I needed to be patient with myself.

Where to start? Here’s a checklist of some things I learned

First and always, just accept each person as they are, rather than thinking “If only….” Look on their differentness as a spice in life, rather than an irritant.

Reaffirm what’s worthy in people with a bit of praise now and then. Hint: There’s no better way to see more of it.

Spend more time looking for what’s good than hunting out what isn’t.

Be glad and grateful for what is instead of wishing for what isn’t. Decide to view your glass as half-full, rather than half-empty.

Look around at your own four walls with fresh eyes. Instead of picking out flaws, let yourself breathe in the warmth of your home. It’s the recharging and refueling station you’ve created for yourself and for your loved ones.

Learn to appreciate small everyday joys. They’re the stuff of daily life.

Smile more.(Skin experts tell us this cuts down on wrinkles, too.)

Begin each day with, “Thank you, Lord, for my life and the people in it.” (Watch how this simple practice brightens your day.)

Three universal principles

We get back what we give out

If we long to hear praise we need to hand it out, too. This means we open our eyes and actually see the people around us. Suppose you want your spouse to be more thoughtful and loving. Exaggerated sighs and nagging seldom pay off. Instead, make it your habit to give out what you want to receive. (Be patient as your new way of mutual giving develops.)

Be forgiving of flaws

Nobody’s perfect, not even you or me. Aren’t you glad? If we keep this thought front and center in our minds it smooths over a lot of life’s stresses.

Give up chasing perfectionism and get real

Lower your standards a bit. (Nobody’s perfect, remember?) Feel your tense shoulders relax. Smile more. Laugh more often as you shift your view and see the small amusements all around–in people and in situations.

Contentment. A synonym for happiness?

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11 NIV)

Read that again and think about what he said. Even the Apostle Paul had to learn to be content, so let’s not give up on ourselves as over and over, we take two steps forward and one step back. (Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward, isn’t it?)

We are, after all, only human. Through God’s grace in Jesus Christ we who believe are forgiven sinners, but here on earth we’ll remain flawed. That truth makes it easier to lower our expectations and be thankful for the good qualities in our family and the people around us.

We all want the people we love and the people around us to accept us as we are. So how can we do less for them? Jesus said in Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Now, can we all breathe a big sigh of relief?

Learning, too,

Lenore
Change Your Mindset and See Your Life Change

July 22, 2026
Getting through each day sometimes seems like more than we can handle, even when life is good. Even when we’re doing what we want to do and we know it’s good and worthwhile.

Back in the wonderful-but-hectic days when we were rearing our four girls, our daily newspaper started running a syndicated advice column titled, “The Worry Clinic,” written by a Dr. George Crane.

All I knew about “Dr. Crane” was what the tiny blurb at the bottom stated, that he was a licensed, professional counselor. (Even so, I always took what he said with the proverbial “grain of salt.)” I didn’t always agree with him but often I found helpful insights and ideas. When we moved from the area, our new daily newspaper didn’t carry “The Worry Clinic”column, so it felt like finding a lost friend when this piece popped up on my Google feed.

Immediately my mind flashed back to the first time I pored over these same words and the truth of them grabbed me. I clipped his column and taped it to a cupboard door. I read this lifeline at least once a day, always asking God to help me stick with it. Little by little I noticed myself feeling more calm, more settled. More positive about my life, even though our family hubbub went on as usual.

I think Dr. Crane’s words still lay out clearly how to find our way through whatever may come into our lives.

This is stated to be an exact reprint of Dr. Crane’s original piece, which now is in the public domain.

  JUST FOR TODAY

Here are ten resolutions to make when you awake in the morning. They are Just for One Day. Think of them not as a life task but as a day’s work.

These things will give you pleasure. Yet they require will power. You don’t need resolutions to do what is easy.

1. Just for Today, I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life-problem at once. I can do some things for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt I had to keep them up for a lifetime.

2. Just for Today, I will be Happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that “most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Happiness is from Within; it is not a matter of Externals.

3. Just for Today, I will Adjust myself to what Is, and not try to Adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come, and fit myself to them.

4. Just for Today, I will take care of my Body. I will exercise it, care for it, and nourish it, and not abuse it nor neglect it; so that it will be a perfect machine for my will.

5. Just for Today, I will try to strengthen my mind, I will study. I will learn something useful, I will not be a mental loafer all day. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

6. Just for Today, I will exercise my Soul. In three ways, to wit:

    (a) I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out. If anybody knows of it, it will not count.

    (b) I will do at least two things I don’t want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise.

    (c) I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt. They may be hurt, but Today I will not show it.

7. Just for To-day, I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with flattery, criticize not one bit nor find fault with anything, and not try to regulate nor improve anybody.

8. Just for Today, I will have a Programme. I will write down just what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I’ll have it. It will save me from the two pests, Hurry and Indecision.

9. Just for Today, I will have a quiet half hour, all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, some time, I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective to my life.

10. Just for Today, I will be Unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to be Happy, to enjoy what is Beautiful, to love and to believe that those I love love me.

                                                       (Written by Dr. George Crane in 1921)

I pass this on because at least to me this piece presents a “road map”to help us navigate more calmly through this world that so often seems to be going off in all directions. It’s how I want to live and look at life and it echoes Psalm 118:24.

This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Still learning–and relearning.

Lenore

Helps for Coping with Today–and Every Day

July 9, 2026
A good place to start is by asking ourselves what it takes to make us laugh.

Somehow it’s much easier to be amused by another person’s predicament than our own, isn’t it?

Think about it. Did you laugh …

At that meeting where you talked at length about a favorite cause and everybody clapped, but then someone brought up points that destroyed your argument?

Or the time some “mystery” family member left a red sock in the washer and turned your load of whites Pepto-Bismal pink?

Or the Parent-Teacher Night when your child’s teacher said with a knowing smile, “Oh, I’ve heard so much about you.”

Did you find that funny? Probably not.

Neither did I, but I wish I had.

How one woman found the better way

My long-ago friend, Marge, had an easy laugh and an unflappable spirit. Even her irrepressible young son’s antics didn’t faze her.

I remember the rainy morning I dropped by for coffee and we sat around her kitchen table, as usual. Six-year-old “Jimmy” came running in and grabbed a towel. He soon reappeared carrying a towel-wrapped bundle and headed toward the laundry room.

Marge and I went on sipping and chatting.

It wasn’t long before we heard a lot of thumping and bumping coming from the laundry room. Marge jumped up and went to investigate. I followed, a few steps behind.

Jimmy stood in front of the gas clothes dryer with his arms folded across his chest and kept chanting over and over, “There’s no cat in here! “

Margo and I barely managed to suppress our laughter.

Jimmy stood in front of the gas clothes dryer with his arms folded across his chest and kept chanting over and over, “There’s no cat in here! ” Margo and I barely managed to suppress our laughter.

She shut off the dryer and rescued Kitty, then sternly ordered Jimmy to his room. Once he was out of earshot, we collapsed into laughter.

After awhile Marge put the still rather dazed Kitty on the floor and poured her a bowl of milk.

After she refilled our coffee mugs I asked Marge her secret to remaining calm no matter what. She thought a minute, then said, “I used to get upset easily, but I learned to ask myself, ‘Will it matter in a hundred years?’ If not I make myself laugh and simply deal with what is.

“I decided a long time ago that life is too short to waste it blowing up over the small stuff.”

“Make myself laugh”

That day I discovered yes, it’s a matter of our temperament, but it’s also–and perhaps most of all–a matter of will. Marge taught herself to find the laughter in everyday frustrations.

My friend role-modeled the kind of woman, the kind of mom, I wanted to become, one who looked for–and found–at least a bit of joy in every situation. Now I understood why my mood improved whenever I spent time with her.

On the drive home I remembered a familiar Bible verse:

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13

Laughter is catching, but so is the opposite

Our attitudes show up most clearly at home. One happy spouse usually means two happy spouses. Parents who laugh a lot have children who laugh a lot.

Conversely, one family member’s lousy mood can spread to the rest of the family faster than any 24-hour stomach bug. In no time at all everybody is cranky and complaining. Few of us would answer the phone or show up at work with that attitude. Instead, we’d breathe deep and dredge up smiles. From somewhere.

I think it’s fair to say that we owe the same to the ones we love. And the people with whom we interact as we go through our days, simply because our attitudes affect them and vice versa.

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18

The value of laughter for our health

Counselors say the ability to laugh at ourselves is a major factor in keeping us emotionally balanced. Medical researchers have documented how laughter also benefits our physical health and raises our endorphin levels, which revs up our immune system.

Since laughter is good for us, why do so many of us routinely choose to wear a frown or a sober expression? (I hate to bring it up, but could we just be lazy? Or too careless to bother with it?)

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Let’s ditch that tired old habit

To change will take some resolve, but we can do it. If we need more incentive, how about this? The experts tell us it takes 37 muscles to frown and only 12 to smile. Doesn’t that mean smiling and laughing will pay off in fewer wrinkles?

And wouldn’t it brighten our every day if we adopted a more relaxed attitude toward life and our individual situation?

Nobody ever has to teach a baby how to laugh, so it’s obvious our Creator endowed human beings with the capacity to smile and laugh. There’s no escaping the truth of it: You and I possess that same natural potential for finding humor in small things and everyday happenings. Let’s cultivate that gift and let it add sparkle to our days.

I’m in. How about you?

Learning right along with you,

Lenore

How can we put more joy into our days?

June 27, 2026